Ralph L. Braun, age 88, of Sioux Falls and formerly of Huron, died Monday, April 28, 2008 at Dow Rummel Village at Sioux Falls. His funeral service will be at 10:00 AM Friday, May 2, 2008 at the American Lutheran Church with Rev. Steven Brandsrud officiating. Burial will be at Restlawn Memory Gardens Cemetery with Military Rites by the Huron Veterans Council. Visitation will be Thursday from 1:00 to 8:00 PM at the Welter Funeral Home with the family present from 6:00 to 8:00 PM or one hour prior to the service at the church Friday morning. Ralph Louis Braun was born on November 10, 1919, to Louie E. and Hattie (Berndt) Braun at Wolsey, SD. He grew up in Wolsey, graduated from Wolsey High School in 1936 and South Dakota State University in 1942. After completing college, he joined the 1st Marine Division and completed 25 months of service in the South Pacific before teaching Marine infantry school at Camp Pendleton, California until 1945. On December 28, 1944, he was united in marriage to Betty Louise Anderson at First Lutheran Church in Brookings, SD. Following their marriage he worked as an assistant county agent in Codington County and served on the Animal Husbandry staff at South Dakota State University. Ralph then served as Public Relations director of the South Dakota Wool Growers Association and completed his Masters Degree in Livestock Production and Economics in 1953. He joined the South Dakota Wheat Growers Association in Aberdeen, SD first as the Farm Services Director, then as the manager of the Feed and Farm Supply Division and finally as assistant general manager. In 1963, Ralph returned to the family farm near Wolsey where he had a farming and cattle operation for 33 years. During this time he served as a Director and one term as President of the Board for the South Dakota Wheat Growers Association. For many years Ralph and Betty enjoyed their winter home in Mesa, Arizona and other travels. Upon retiring in 1995, they moved to Huron and then to Sioux Falls in 2007. He enjoyed traveling, woodworking, lapidary, golf, and bridge. He was a member of the American Lutheran Church, American Legion, Lions Club and Alpha Zeta, an Honorary Agricultural Society. He is survived by his wife Betty Braun of Sioux Falls; a daughter, Barbara (Kent) Larsen of Sioux Falls; a son, James Braun, M.D. and his wife Robin, of Hot Springs, Arkansas; five grandchildren; six great grandchildren; his sister, Irene Kreger of Brookings; his brother, Richard Braun of Gwynedd, Pennsylvania; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Harold Braun and sister Dorothy Casey.